Campaign Middle East's April 'Work' picks.Every month, Campaign Middle East selects a collection of ‘Work’ to display in its monthly issue. The same selection then gets offered to industry professionals for their review in Campaign’s Private View section the following month.
These are the picks from April – featuring work from VISA, Bridgestone MEA, IKEA Al-Futtaim, adidas Originals and Yas Island.
Tapping into a commonly used phrase amongst Egyptian merchants, ‘cash walla Visa?’ the global payments brand collaborated with Saatchi & Saatchi MEA and Good People to give small businesses in Egypt the tools to promote themselves on a larger scale. The brand installed AI voice-activated devices in partner stores to catch every real-life mention of the word ‘Visa’ during customer chats. Mentions of the brand gave participating stores free media buys on social platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
This regional campaign seeks to transform how parents approach child safety in cars. Insights revealed that many parents believe that holding a child in their lap is as safe as using a child car seat. The Bridgestone MEA film emphasises that it’s not. As part of the campaign’s larger initiative, the tyre company has offered valuable insights on safety protocols and practical advice that can help create a safer and more informed environment. Rolled out in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Morocco, the campaign aligns with Bridgestone’s E8 Commitment, which particularly emphasises emotional and empowerment. The brand collaborated with Brand New Galaxy MEA for creative and Orient Planet Group for PR to develop the campaign.
IKEA Al-Futtaim – Supporting First Steps
Aimed at capturing the everyday moments that shape early childhood development, this campaign is part of IKEA’s ongoing regional brand narrative, which celebrates real-life family moments. Rooted in the insight that many toddlers take their first steps by using nearby furniture for balance, the campaign was designed to highlight how IKEA is present in everyday life, in moments that truly matter. IKEA furniture is consistently pictured as a backdrop to meaningful moments in various households. With visuals photographed by Ale Burset, the campaign has been rolled out across out-of-home, print, digital, and social media platforms in the Middle East. The campaign was developed in collaboration with INGO Hamburg.
adidas Originals – The Loomhood Collection
To introduce its limited-edition collection, adidas Originals launched an experiential and digital campaign, which captures how two of the brand’s most beloved sneakers – the Samba OG and Handball Spezial – have been reimagined to blend craftsmanship with cultural heritage. The campaign highlights artisans who have shaped communities in Dubai, Riyadh and Cairo through their craft. Each pair of sneakers showcases the neighbourhoods’ names and the precise coordinates of the artisans’ stores, and three types of laces have been created, inspired by traditional crafts in the UAE, KSA and Egypt. Dream Girls Tailor in Dubai, a 40-year-old shop, plays an instrumental part in the campaign. The brand collaborated with AKQA for creative and Red Havas for PR to develop the work.
Yas Island – Zindagi Ko Yas Bol
Yas Island brought to life a series of episodic ads reuniting Bollywood superstars Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol – the trio loved for their roles in the 2011 Bollywood film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, which inspired a generation of consumers to travel. Capturing the spirit of adventure, friendship and living life to the fullest, and identifying a decade-long sentiment for a sequel, Yas Island brought the Bollywood trio together for the first time in 14 years against the backdrop of the unforgettable experiences that Yas Island offers. The campaign instantly became a cultural phenomenon, igniting conversations, organic shares, and widespread fan enthusiasm, raking in 1.5 billion views on social media. Momentum and Initiative were creative collaborators for the work, with production done by Dejavu and PR by Weber Shandwick.
